


I'm Lost, I'm Home

by systems



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, Long Distance Relationship, M/M, MakoRin Week, Sister - Freeform, Well - Freeform, only one of them is here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5422457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/systems/pseuds/systems
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin is training in Australia, and Makoto is studying in Tokyo. This takes place ~2nd or 3rd year after ES ends.</p>
<p>"I miss Rin," he'd said quietly. But while he was resigned to the fact that his boyfriend would be gone until summer when his team moved to Japan for training, his friends were not. </p>
<p>"You know, we probably could get you there," Rei had said. He'd pulled a notebook out and started making lists. "If we consider the off-peak travel times, prices are significantly lower."</p>
            </blockquote>





	I'm Lost, I'm Home

**Author's Note:**

> So many authors have written variations on this theme already, but I really wanted to, too!

It had started as only a hopeless wish, one breathed into life after beers with friends. Now, it was becoming reality and Makoto could hardly believe it. 

"I miss Rin," he'd said quietly. But while he was resigned to the fact that his boyfriend would be gone until summer when his team moved to Japan for training, his friends were not. 

"You know, we probably could get you there," Rei had said. He'd pulled a notebook out and started making lists. "If we consider the off-peak travel times, prices are significantly lower."

 

It takes a lot of work, Makoto learns, arranging for a spontaneous trip to Sydney. Tickets are expensive, and the scheduling has to be just right. Makoto wants to have time to just enjoy being there, and he needs time when Rin won't be as busy with practices. Of course, it's a little tricky asking for specifics of Rin's schedule for the next several weeks when Makoto's never been a very practiced liar. 

Nagisa provides an unexpected amount of help with the ticket. His older sister flies with Japan Airlines as a crew member, and she manages to get him a steep discount. 

"Hey, my sister's finally done something nice for me," Nagisa shrugs it off when Makoto thanks him profusely. His sister pulls him in and ruffles his hair.

"Don't be rude, little brother," she scolds, but she gives Makoto a smile that's just as bright as Nagisa's when she says, "Besides, it's for love, not for my brother." 

Haru helps him figure out Rin's schedule with the help of his coach, finding when Rin's likely to have ramped up practices for competitions, and when he might have a taper week. They pick a span of ten days in late March, which will give Makoto and Rin a week together, plus a few days of travel and a friendly meet in Melbourne. Makoto will get back to Sydney just in time for his flight home. 

It's perfect.

 

_Rin, can we talk tonight? 6 p.m. your time? It's important._

_Yeah! I'll be home then. Everything okay?_

Makoto pauses, and decides to tell the truth. Well, part of it.

_I miss your face._

_I miss you, too._

Makoto smiles at this text before he powers down his phone for the flight. 

He only feels a little bad about scheduling a Skype date he knows he won't meet. It was the easiest way to make sure Rin would actually be at home when he arrived, and he's too giddy about the idea of seeing him again to worry too much. Everything is arranged, and it's going to be perfect. 

 

Or, well, it would have been, if he hadn't gotten lost. 

 

He'd written down the directions very carefully. He knew which exit to take out of the terminal, and where to wait for the bus that would take him downtown. He'd transfer to another bus that would take him to Rin's neighborhood.

It's 5:30 in the afternoon when Makoto steps off of the first bus. He's exhausted, and when he sees a convenience store across the street, he sighs in relief goes in to get a bottle of tea. Sufficiently refreshed, he exits the convenience store and consults his directions. 

_Cross the street and take the number 39 bus._

Makoto nods to himself and crosses the street. He only just makes it before the number 39 drives up, and he sits down with his bags and starts listening to the stop names. It seems like a long bus ride, but Makoto shrugs this off. He gets to see more of the city this way, even if a cab would have gotten him there faster. 

He almost misses the stop, but he hears just enough to recognize it and signals that he'll get off here. 

Taking another look at his notes, Makoto adjusts his backpack on his shoulders and sets off. 

Get off the bus, turn right. Cross the street at the corner.

Go straight for five blocks, turn left.

Rin's apartment building is on the left side of the street.

Makoto follows the instructions to the letter, and ends up on a street that has no buildings with enough floors to be Rin's building. He walks back to the corner and consults the street sign. It does not match the street name in Rin's address. Makoto pulls his Sydney City Map from the pocket of his backpack and scours it for the name of the street he is on. He can't find it. He's also having trouble locating Rin's street on the map, and he wonders if he can blame jetlag when the time difference isn't all that great.

It's now 6:15, and he's late for his Skype date, and what's worse, late for his surprise. This reminds him that he has his phone, and he's extremely grateful that he set up his international data plan before leaving Japan when he realizes he can Skype Rin for help. It does mean giving up the surprise at the door, but Makoto's tired and he doesn't know how to get there on his own.

**Calling Rin…**

"Makoto? I was getting worried!" Rin says, picking up on the first ring.

"Sorry, Rin," Makoto says. "I was supposed to be there by now but I think I'm lost."

"You're lost," Rin repeats flatly. "In Iwatobi."

Oh, that's right, he had told Rin that he was going home for the week. "Well. Not exactly."

"Where exactly are you?" Rin asks. "Are you on your phone? I can only see your face."

"I'm really sorry, Rin, it was supposed to be a surprise," Makoto says mournfully. "But I think I need you to come pick me up. I'm in Sydney."

"Wait, what?"

"Well, I looked up the way to your apartment from the airport, but I must have gotten it wrong. I mean, I took the bus the map told me to but I think I got out at the wrong stop or something. The street names aren't right." Makoto waves the offending map in the air, despite the fact that Rin can't see him gesturing. "I haven't seen any taxis or anything."

"You're in Sydney?" Rin repeats. He looks surprised, almost stunned. He's staring at Makoto with this little crinkle between his brows that he gets when he's stopped on his way to a frown. If they were right in front of each other, Makoto would poke that spot with a finger and break the mood, and Rin would smile. But he's not right in front of him, and Rin is not smiling.

"Surprise?" Makoto says weakly. 

The long silence has Makoto sweating. What if he's not welcome? What if Rin had other plans? What if this was all just a big mistake? 

Rin laughs, then, sounding utterly delighted, and he can breathe again. "I can't believe you, Makoto." His name sounds almost reverent on Rin's lips. "What street are you on? Tell me what you see."

Makoto describes the street. He's stopped on a corner and can see a cafe a block away. Rin tells him to wait there, that he'll get there as soon as he can.

When Rin rushes into the cafe a half an hour later and sweeps him into the fiercest hug he's ever received, Makoto smiles and lets the thought wash over him before whispering it in Rin's ear. 

"I'm home."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Happy MakoRin Week!


End file.
